Feel Better, Sooner: Trafford NHS Musculoskeletal Community Appointment Sessions

Our Musculoskeletal (MSK) Community Appointment Sessions are designed to make it easier for you to get the care and advice you need, all in one convenient session. They are organised by your local NHS and partners and are free to attend.  

If you’ve been referred to the Trafford Local Care Organisation’s Musculoskeletal Service, this is your chance to: 

• Start treatment faster with a physiotherapist or podiatrist. 

• Get tailored advice and exercises to help you feel better. 

• Access a range of support services for your health, mobility and wellbeing. 

• Meet community groups such as Trafford Leisure, Age UK and the Mile Shy Club who can help you stay active. 

• Choose what suits you. Visit one service or several, it’s entirely up to you. 

These sessions are provided by the NHS and partners. They are part of our effort to make sure people across Trafford can get the right care, at the right time, in the right place. 

When you arrive, you’ll be greeted by our friendly team and guided to the services most relevant to you. You can: 

• Talk to NHS staff including physiotherapists and other advanced clinical practitioners about what matters to you and how you can improve your health and wellbeing, symptoms or recovery.  
• Be assessed by a clinician who can give practical advice and rehabilitation support with your condition. 
• Be referred for further tests or investigations if needed. 
• Visit information stands from local community groups such as Trafford Leisure, Mile Shy Club and Age UK 
• Get support with long-term conditions. 
• You do not need to attend for the full hour, just drop in for the services that interest you the most. 

Getting there is easy: 

• Move Altrincham is located next to Altrincham Interchange, with easy access to trains, trams and buses. There is also a bus stop on Oakfield Road. 

• If travelling by car, parking for Move Altrincham can get very busy. Allow plenty of time.  The facility car park is monitored by Parking Eye, you will need to enter your vehicle registration on the tablet in reception to avoid a fine. Alternatively paid parking is available in the neighbouring Oakfield Road Car Park. 

To make the day run more smoothly for everyone: 

• Please let us know if you cannot attend. This helps us offer your slot to someone else. If you do not attend or contact us, we will discharge you from the service. 
• Arrive on time. We will not be able to sign you in until 5 minutes before your appointment.  
• If you are more than 5 minutes late, we will not be able to see you due to a high volume of patients booked onto the event. 
• We may take some photographs to show the great work happening in Trafford. This may result in patients being in the background. If you prefer not to be included, just let us know when you arrive at the event. 

Please note: 

• You must have been referred to Trafford Local Care Organisation’s Musculoskeletal Service to attend. 
• We are legally unable to treat anyone without a referral. 

If you have any of the following symptoms, please do not attend. Instead contact your GP for advice: 

• Unexplained weight loss over the last four weeks 
• Severe or constant pain not eased by movement. 
• Night pain or night sweats 
• Recent serious injury or trauma such as a fall from a height or road traffic accident (in the last 6 weeks) 
• Pins and needles/numbness/weakness in both arms or legs 
• Changed sensation in the genital area 
• New changes to or loss of bladder control or urine retention 
• New changes to or loss of bowel control 
• Recent unsteadiness on your feet. 

If you have any questions that are not covered by the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below, please contact communications@manchesterlco.org 

Ready to Feel Better? 

Click ‘Get Tickets’ below to secure your appointment time.
Once booked, add it to your calendar and we’ll send you an email reminder the day before. 

Your path to easier movement starts here. 

Yes — there’s no charge for attending your community appointment day.

No, you can see as many or as few services as you like.

Just yourself! Comfortable clothes help if you’ll be moving around for assessments or exercises.

• Get advice and treatment without long waits.
• Save multiple trips — everything’s in one place.
• Meet supportive local experts and community partners.
• Leave with a clear plan and practical steps to improve your health.

“I left knowing exactly what to do next — and already felt better after the exercises.”
— Previous attendee.

No, you can choose to remain on the physiotherapy/podiatry waiting list to receive routine assessment and treatment at one of the hospital sites.

Yes, we are looking to carry out more events in the future.

Yes all patients who plan to attend will need to book an arrival timeslot through Eventbrite. There are slots throughout the day to choose from.

You can go to as many or as few of the stations as you wish, at your own pace. You can choose to access the support and resources that are most important to you. You will be given a patient passport that you can keep. In the passport you can record information and personal notes from the services you visited, as well as information about where to get further support. We will also scan this passport so it can be added to your patient record.

You can spend as much or as little time as you wish at the event. You can talk to as many services as you like.

Due to space restrictions we ask that you attend alone unless you need support from a carer. You do not need to book a place for your carer.

Please let us know on the booking form so that we can arrange an interpreter for you. Alternatively, you are welcome to attend the event with a family member to interpret on the day.

At the event there will be staff who can refer you for investigations if you need them.

You will have the option to contact us and opt back in for treatment if you feel you need it. You will have up to 8 weeks after the event to do this.

No. You will retain your place in the queue on the waiting list.